Axle puller



Ot. 8, 1963 H. B. COMER 3,106,012

AXLE FULLER Filed Feb. 29'. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @QL/SIL;

INVNTOR ATTORNEYS H. B. COMER 3,106,012

AxLE FULLER Oct. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 29, 1960 INVENTORATTORNEYSl United States Patent O 3,106,012 AXLE FULLER Harold B. Comer,Ilox 151, Elkton, Va. Filed Feb. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 11,581 3 Claims.@L29- 254) This invention relates to 'pulling tools in general, and inparticular to tools used to pull automobile axles from their housings.This application is a continuation-in-part of my application tiled Mayl, 1958, Serial No. 732,316, and now abandoned.

Axle pullers have been known and used for some time. The conventionalpuller consists of a rod, or shaft, with a knob on `one end and meansfor coupling to the axle to be pulled at the other end. A hammer isslidablyl mounted upon the shaft so that it may be moved along the shaftto forcibly strike the knob to exert a pulling force upon the axle. Onsome cars the axles have llanges at their ends, and it is necessary toconnect the puller to the axle studs on the axle ilange, and on othersthe axles have nuts on their ends and there must be some means to engagebehind the nut which is threaded upon the axle end. Different cars havethe axle studs positioned different radial distances from the axle.These wide variations have made it necessary for a repair shop operatorto stock a number oi axle pullers having difierent means for coupling tothe axle in order to be able to remove axles from cars Iof all makes. isis expensive and adds to tool storage problems.

The principal object tof the present invention is to.

provide an axle puller which will be capable of pulling axles of manydiierent make cars, even though the coupling means varies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool which will beconnectible to the axle studs of all vehicles,

irrespective of the radial spacing of the studs, and can be converted toconnect to an axle having a nut on its end.

A further object is to provide another form of tool which has acombination coupling head making it applicable universally to differentmakes of cars Without need for a conversion operation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription of practical embodiments thereof when taken in conjunctionwith the drawings which accompany, and form part of, thisspeciii-cation.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of a puller tool embodying theprinciples of the present invention, shown attached to an axle, inposition to pull the axle;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE l, showing thehammer element of the pulling tool; FIGURE 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of FIGURE l, illustrating the coupler head attached tothe axle studs on the axle flange;

FlGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with an adapter attachmentfastened to the coupler head;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8 8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar tto FIGURE 4, illustrating a modied form ofthe device;

view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of acombination coupling head adapted to fit all cars;

FIGURE ll is a rear elevation of the head shown in FIGURE 10, the toolrod, or shaft, carrying the head being shown in section;

' form Iof a central cap 2,2 with diametrically projecting ICC ,FIGUREl2 is a section through the head taken on the line l2-l2 of FIGURE 1l;and

FIGURE 13 is a bottom plan view of the combination coupler head.

In general, the invention concerns an axle puller which has a couplerhead that will receive the axle studs of ditierent makes of carsirrespective ot their radial spacing from the axle axis, `and hasprovision to receive an adapter, or integrally incorporates means, forcoupling to. an axle having a nut on its end, to provide a tool whichcan be used to remove axles from all makes of cars.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and nst adverting to that form ofthe invention illustrated in FIGURES l toy 8, there is shown an axlepuller, generally designated l, which comprises a rod, tor shaft, Zhaving a knob 3 at one end and being sorewthreaded, as alt 4, at theother end. A coupler head S- having an internally threaded boss 6 isscrewed upon the end i of the rod.

A cylindrical hammer '7 having an axial bore il` is slidably mountedonthe rod 2. A pair of diametrically extending handles 9' provide meansby which the operator can grasp the hammer and slide-it along rod Z tostrike against the knob 3 and drive lthe puller in the direction ot theknob to pull an axle.

'The coupler head 5 consists of a hub lll, coaxial with the boss `6,from which securing arms Il, l2 and l13 project. The arms lie in acommon plane normal to the axis of the hub, and are angularly spacedfrom one another as required to overlie axle stud positions on the axleflange lll. An automobile axle llange is provided with live axle studsl5, arranged in a circle about the iiange axis and equally spaced apart.The studs lie along radii of the flange spaced apart angulai` distancesof 36. Arms ll and l2 have central slots I6 and .17, elongated radiallyof the arms and spaced equidistant to the angular spacin-gof the axlestuds. Arm 13 has a slot l elongated radially coincident withtheextended bisector lof the angle formed by the slots lo and 17. Thus,the slots of the three arms will receive axle studs arranged angularly`as described and at different radial distances from the axle flangecenter. y The coupler head is recessed at its center, as at i9, on theside opposite the boss to receive the axle end under certain conditions,as will be described.

In order to permit Iattach-ment of an adapter to the head to couple toaxles which do not have a `flange type axle, the rarm i3 `of the couplerhead is Wider than the `other arms, with the Wider portion offset to oneside of the slot 1S `to permit the provision of a holle 2.0,`diametrically opposed to the slot 16 in :arm l1. An adapter 21, in thearms Z3, is provided to overlie the center of the coupler head and beattached to it. The arms Z3 are `apertured, as atZll, to receive bolts25 which pass through slot I6 in arm Il `and the opening 2@ in :arm i3.The cap portion of the adapter is cup-shaped, and has a notch 26entering from one side wall `and projecting at least to the center ofthe cap.' The cap wall around the notch 26 provides a pulling flange 27.A

When the tool is to be used to pull en' axle provided with a liange ld,as shown in FIGURES l, 3 and 4, the 'adapter 2l is not used. The couplerhead is placed against the axle flange with the axle studs l5 projectingPatented 9ct. 8, 1963 I 'bolting through the openings 24, slot 16 andhole 20. The axle 31 then has a nut 32 threaded on its end, and thenotch of the :adapter is slipped 'over the raxle so that the nut iswithin the adapter cap portion and the ilange 27 lies behind the nut.The end of the axle projects into the recess 19 in the coupler head. Itwill be clear that the impact force of the tool hammer will be impartedthrough the :adapter flange against lthe back of the nut to exert :apulling force upon the axle.

ln FIGURE 9, there is shown a head 33 similar to head 5. It is `alsoprovided with an internally-threaded boss 34 similar to boss 6. However,instead of a direct engagement vbetween the rod and boss as in the formshown in FIGURES l through 8, the rod 35 is of somewhat narrowerdiameter than rod 2 .and its threaded end 36 Iis engaged within aninternally-threaded reducer 37 which is provided with :anexternally-threaded stem 38. The 38 is threadedly engaged within boss34. This type of `construction permits use of a narrower rod with a.st-andiard size coupler head while maintaining a strong and secureattachment between the rod and head.

A combination coupler head 39 is shown in FIGURES l through 13, which isdesigned to perform the functions lof both the coupler head and theadapter previously described. In this form of the invention the head iscomposed of a cup 40 and a mounting plate 41, with the cup and mountingplate being integral.

The cup 40 has a cylindrical wall 42, a closed bottom 43 and an open end44. A notch 45 is cut into the wall of the cup :from the open end to thebottom. A boss 46 projects from .the `bottom of the cup and is threadedto receive the end of rod 47.

Plate 41 has a circular central section 48 which overles the open end ofthe cup, .and three radially projecting arms 49. Each arm is slotted,and the `slots 50 are elongated radially of the plate. The slots andarms are arranged in the same relative angular positions las in the formfirst described. The central portion of the plate is notched, as at 51,between two of the arms, with the notch extending radially of the plate.The notch in the plate has its center line (which is a radius of theplate) lying in a radial plane which is common to the plate and the cup,and which also includes the longitudinal centerline of the notch 45 inthe cup. The plate notch is narrower than the cup notch so that the sideWalls of the cup forming the edges of the cup notch are spaced outwardlyfrom the edges of the plate notch providing shoulders 52 at either side.This construction will allow the notch 51 in the plate to pass over anaxle while a nut on the axle will pass through the cup notch 45 and thenut will bear against the shoulders 52. Thus, the plate will form thebearing member `for the nut when pulling :an axle having a nut on theend, as well as .a central support for the slotted arms which are toconnect -to an axle having a flange with axle studs.

It is believed that the operation of the puller having the modifiedcoupler head will be clear -from the above description, and that nofurther statement'of the operation need be given.

While in the above practical embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed, it will be understood that the details of constructiondescribed and shown rare merely by way of illustration, and theinvention may take other forms within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An axle puller of the type including a rod having -a hammer slidabllymounted thereon with a knob at one end of the rod against which thehammer may be struck and a coupler head at the yother end of the rod-for -connection to an axle to be pulled, 4the improvement whichcomprises, the coupler head including an integrally joined cup and platewith the plate overlying the mouth of the cup and Aforming within thecup a closed chamber, a notch in the plate extending from the edgeradially to the center, a notch in the cup opening to the chamber Iofgreater Width than the notch in the plate registering with and centeredwith respect to the plate notch, whereby the coupler head can be placedover an axle having a nut on the end land the axle will pass into thenotch in the plate and the nut will pass through the notch in the cupand into the chamber to bear upon the plate 4on `either side of theplate notch when the coupler head is movedV lengthwise of the axle, saidplate having :a plurality of slotstherein exteriorly of the periphery ofthe cup, the slots being elongated radially of the plate and lyinglalong radii of the plate which are angularly related in conformity tothe Iangular relationship of radii passing through axle studs on aflange carried by an axle to be pulled, whereby axle studs arranged onflanges in circles of various diameters may be received in the slots ofthe coupler head.

2. An axle puller as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plate has a centralhub portion overlying the mouth of the cup and having said plate notchtherein, and a plurality of farms projecting radially `from the centralhub portion and containing said slots.

3. An axle puller as claimed in claim 2 wherein the coupler head has Vaboss projecting :from lthe cup portion at the end remote from the plate,:and the boss is recessed to receive the end of said rod.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,387,674 Wood et al. Aug. 16, 1921 1,873,294 Cosgrove Aug. 23, 19322,450,293 Oserowsky Sept. 28, 1948 FOREIGNV PATENTS 161,832 AustraliaMar. 9, 1955 y

1. AN AXLE PULLER OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A ROD HAVING A HAMMER SLIDABLYMOUNTED THEREON WITH A KNOB AT ONE END OF THE ROD AGAINST WHICH THEHAMMER MAY BE STRUCK AND A COUPLER HEAD AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROD FORCONNECTION TO AN AXLE TO BE PULLED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES, THECOUPLER HEAD INCLUDING AN INTEGRALLY JOINED CUP AND PLATE WITH THE PLATEOVERLYING THE MOUTH OF THE CUP AND FORMING WITHIN THE CUP A CLOSEDCHAMBER, A NOTCH IN THE PLATE EXTENDING FROM THE EDGE RADIALLY TO THECENTER, A NOTCH IN THE CUP OPENING TO THE CHAMBER OF GREATER WIDTH THANTHE NOTCH IN THE PLATE REGISTERING WITH AND CENTERED WITH RESPECT TO THEPLATE NOTCH, WHEREBY THE COUPLER HEAD CAN BE PLACED OVER AN AXLE HAVINGA NUT ON THE END AND THE AXLE WILL PASS INTO THE NOTCH IN THE PLATE ANDTHE NUT WILL PASS THROUGH THE NOTCH IN THE CUP AND INTO THE CHAMBER TOBEAR UPON THE PLATE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PLATE NOTCH WHEN THE COUPLERHEAD IS MOVED LENGTHWISE OF THE AXLE, SAID PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OFSLOTS THEREIN EXTERIORLY OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE CUP, THE SLOTS BEINGELONGATED RADIALLY OF THE PLATE AND LYING ALONG RADII OF THE PLATE WHICHARE ANGULARLY RELATED IN CONFORMITY TO THE ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP OF RADIIPASSING THROUGH AXLE STUDS ON A FLANGE CARRIED BY AN AXLE TO BE PULLED,WHEREBY AXLE STUDS ARRANGED ON FLANGES IN CIRCLES OF VARIOUS DIAMETERSMAY BE RECIEVED IN THE SLOTS OF THE COUPLER HEAD.